Electrode holder



Nov. 7, 1939. H. .1. WAGNER ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed June 30, 1938 2Sheets-Sheet 1 i i l l l i l n l I t Q nvcn or omeys Sq Nm.- m mm.

Nov. 7, 1939. H, J, WAGNER 2.179.440

ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed June 30, 1938 2 Sheets-$21651: 2

/bl/ H' Wa; Itor A orneys I Patented Nov. 7, 1939A UNITED. STATES PATENTlori-ics Y 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an electrode holder, the general object of theinvention being to provide a holder? that is attractive in appearance,

- convenient in its operation and one that will last for a long time andalso one which will possess a grip on the electrode equally effective atany angle in which the electrode may be placed, thereby eliminating anyloss of time in the op;

eration.

Another object of the invention is to so make the jaws that they can bereadily replaced withbut the use of few tools. y

Another object of the invention is to provide eicient and convenientmeans/of attaching a cable to the device without the use of solder andone which will provide full conductivity and eliminate the destructiveeffect of ordinary practice in making these connections.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination ,and arrangement of the several parts to behereinafter full described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

yIn describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the device.

Figure 2 isa longitudinal, sectional view there- Figure 3 is a view`inperspective of several of the parts of the invention disassembled.

-Figure 4 is a lview of the stationary jaw 'carrying member. y Figure 5is a view of the two jaw members;

In these drawings the numeral I indicates a cylindrical case ofnon-conducting material having one end partially closed but providedwith an opening 2 for the passage of the conductor and its other endopen with a ring 3, preferably of seamless steel tubing therein. Themain or stationary holder bar is shown at 4 and is of channel-shapeconstruction for. the major por tion of its length `but has a tubularpart 5 at its rear end and at its front yend the flanges are bent toprovidev the dovetail formation 6. In-

termediate its ends this bar 4 is upwardly oi-` 1 set as shown at 1 landthe ring 3 passes aroundl which is of slightly V-shape in cross sectionwith the walls corrugated as shown at 'I.I.

The movable holder bar is shown at i3 an this bar is also of channelshape for the major portion of its length but has the flanges at its 5outer end bent inwardly to provide the dovetail formation I4 forreceiving-'the dovetail rib I5 of the plain jaw i6, the gripping face ofthis jaw i6 being slightly rounded in cross section to fit partly in theV-shaped face of the jaw I0. 10V

This member i3 is also formed with an oifset intermediate part ll whichpasses through the ring 3 and a pivot pin I8 passes through the ring andthis part ll of the member I3 toI permitrocking movement of the memberI3. rear end of the member I3 is reduced and slight- -ly curved as at 20and this end fits in a groove 2l formed in an operating lever 22, theinner end of which is` enlarged and of arcuate shape as shown and thisend has a notch 23 therein 20 which engages the front wall of an opening24 formed in an intermediate part of the casing I. Thus/ the operatinglever is rockingly supported by the case for moving the member I3-.onits pivot I8. A substantially U-shaped spring-25 25 has `one limbresting in the member 4 and its other en'd engaging the rear part of themember I3 and tends tohold the outer, ends carrying the jaws I0 and I6in closedpositon. The rear end 20 is pivoted irnthe groove 2| of thelever 22 by a pin 26 30 and one or more screws 2l fasten the member 4 inthe case. The tubular part 5 of the memf ber 4 is provided with a socketwhich has an enlarged front end which is screw-threaded and a graduallytapering rear end w ich, is corru- 35 gated as shown in Figure 2. Asc ew28 having a large head part and a tapering 'shank corrugated as shown inFigure 2 is adapted to t in the`socket and then inserting the screw thepointed end will spread the wires of ,the cable apart and the corrugatedsocket'and corrugated shank win firmly bind the wires in thgmember 5, itof course being understood that the calile 45 is passed through theopening 2. The'sleeve or part 5 and the screw both being corrugated willfirmly hold the cableinposition, thus making it dicult for the cable topull from the device as frequently occurs when the device is being 50dragged around over the iloor and elsewhere.

A channel-shaped member 30 of non-conducting material fits over theouter @end of each of the members 4 and I3 and is fastened thereto bythe screws 3| and a protective 'shield of metal 55 The 15 32 covers eachmember 30 and these members 32 have large holes 33 therein so that thesemem-` bers 32 will not contact the screws 3i.

I prefer to make the bars or members I and I3 of steel electro-platedwith copper and to make the jaws Ill and I6 of copper.

The device is positive in action and holds the electrode with a iirmgrip and the insulation for the gripping jaws prevents accidental anddestructive iiashes and protects them from the heat of the arc, and thisinsulation is-protected by a plate or armor which is in turn protectedfrom current carrying parts of the holder. The spring is entirelyenclosed and protected from any harm and provides a powerful grip of thejaws on the electrode, whether these be small or large. The replacementof the gripping jaws can be accomplished practically without the use oftools as they are held in place by the dovetail parts and the cableholding means maintains the flexibility of the cable and no heat isbuilt up in the cable or in the connection. Every strand of the cable isbrought into contact and so gripped as to provide the utmost of securityand in a manner that prevents individual strands from injury andbreakage.

It is thought from the foregoing description Having described theinvention, what is claimedV as new is:

1. An electrode holder of the class described comprising an elongatedcase of insulating material having an opening in its rear end and itsother end being open, a ring tting in said other end, a stationary barof substantially channelshape in cross section having a part tting inthe case andattached thereto and another part projecting from the openend of the case, said projecting part forming a dovetail-shaped groove,a jaw havingv a dovetail rib fitting in the groove, a second bar pivotedto the ring and having a part projecting from the case, said part beingformed with a dovetail-shaped groove, a second jaw having a dovetail ribfitting in the last-mentioned groove, a substantially V-shaped spring inthe case' engaging the two bars and tending to hold the jaws in closedposition, a lever having a part passing through an opening in the caseand connected to the inner end of the'pivoted bar, a sleeve at the innerend of the stationary bar having a socket therein the forward portion ofwhich is threaded and the other portion is tapered and corrugated, ascrew having a threaded head portion fitting in the threaded part of thesocket and a tapered shank having corrugations for holding the end ofthe cable between itself and the corrugated part of the socket, membersof non-conducting material covering the projecting ends of the bars andmetal shields covering the members of non-conducting material.

2. An electrode holder of the class described comprising an elongatedcase of insulating material having one end open, a ring tting in 'saidopen end, a stationary bar of substantially channel-shape in crosssection having an intermediate part passing through and fastened to the.ring with an end portion of the bar projecting from the open end of thecase, a jaw having a rib thereon tting in the projecting part, a secondbar having an intermediate part passing through the ring and pivotedthereto with an end portion of the second bar projecting from the case,said second bar also being of channel-shape in cross section, a secondjaw having a rib thereon fitting in the projecting end of the secondbar, a substantially V-shaped spring in the case and engaging the twobars and tensioned to hold the -jaws in closed position, said casehaving an opening at an intermediate part thereof, a lever having a partpassing through said opening and connected to the inner end of thepivoted bar and means for connecting a cable to the inner end of the rstbar.

3. An electrode holder of the class described comprising an elongatedcase of insulating material, anelongated stationary bar having a portionfastened in the case and another portion projecting therefrom, a jawcarried by the projecting portion, a second bar having an intermediatepart pivoted in the case with a portion projecting from the case, a jawcarried by said projecting portion., a spring engaging that portion ofthe last -mentioned bar which is located in the case for holding thejaws in engagement, said case having an opening at an intermediateportion thereof, a lever having an enlarged end provided with a notch,said notch receiving a portion of the wall of the opening and means forpivoting the inner end of the pivoted bar with the enlarged part of thelever.

HENRY J. WAGNER.

